Night Gallery—Season 2

Welcome to the Gallery!

The gallery is open again for business.  Come inside and see the works of the macabre and bizarre.  Your host Rod Serling will take you through paintings of murder, death, horror, science-fiction, and beasts to curdle your blood.  Enter the Night Gallery, and you might never leave!

The second season of Rod Serling’s Night Gallery aired from September 15, 1971 to March 1, 1972 on NBC.  The series was rather well received but didn’t live up to Serling’s The Twilight Zone and also garnered criticism for the “shorts” that are prevalent in this season which as filler often ruined the tone of the series.

I love Night Gallery, but I do see the criticism that it received.  I was born after the original airing and only knew Night Gallery in its modified format which took these hour long shows and cut them down to thirty minute versions.  With the thirty minute versions, many of the shorts didn’t air and some of the weaker scripts weren’t recut (plus for packaging for syndication Gary Collins’ The Six Sense series was edited into the series).

Evil creatures and demons…Oh my!!!

The Night Gallery—Season 2 collection does have some altering to it that occurred shortly after the original episodes’ release.  Season 2 originally had a segment called “The Witches’ Feast” as part of episode 2, but it was replaced by “Satisfaction Guaranteed”.  The DVD release of Season 2 has “Satisfaction Guaranteed” in the line-up but “Witches’ Feast” is available on the Season 3 collection.

While the first season had the great episode “The Doll”, this season’s stand out episode that scared me to death as a kid was an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s “Pickman’s Mode”l (2.11).  The episode featured the monster and got the series an achievement in makeup nomination for a Primetime Emmy.  There are many other great episodes including “The Boy Who Predicted Earthquakes”, “Class of ’99”, “Since Aunt Ada Came to Stay”, “Silent Snow, Secret Snow”, “Brenda”, and others…in fact, almost every episode had at least one good sketch.

Yeah…this scared me…a lot.

The other feature of Night Gallery is the great casting.  Looking back, many of the actors were either at the beginning of their careers or at the end.  The series seemed to tap great guest stars and it is always fun to watch the opening credits to see who would be appearing.  In addition to the “stars” however, little cameos by actors like Mark Hamill and Randy Quaid make the series a must watch.

Night Gallery is a fun clever series with lots of twists and turns.  The bad aspects of the series can be overlooked due to the fun of the segments that work.  I still would love to see a nice collection of the paintings presented in the Night Gallery and feel that a coffee table book of the paintings would sell to fans of the series.

Night Gallery—Season 2 Complete Episode Guide:

“The Boy Who Predicted Earthquakes”

“Ms. Lovecraft Sent Me”

“The Hand of Borgus Weems”

“Phantom of What Opera?”

2.1       The Boy Who Predicted Earthquakes/ Miss Lovecraft Sent Me/The Hand of Borgus Weems/Phantom of What Opera? Airdate:  09/15/71

The Boy Who Predicted Earthquakes—A boy named Herbie Bittman (Clint Howard) has demonstrated the power of prediction.  Becoming a television sensation, Herbie is surrounded by people who begin to use him including the producer (Michael Constantine) and his assistant (Bernie Kopell).  When Herbie gets a vision of the future, he’s obligated to tell the world…despite what he has seen.  Miss Lovecraft Sent Me—A babysitter named Betsy (Sue Lyon) is sent to babysit a rather unusual child.  The Hand of Borgus Weems—Peter Lacland (George Maharis) goes to Doctor Archibald Ravadon (Ray Milland) to remove his right hand and tells him that he has no control over it.  After the surgery, he tells the tale of attempted murder and learns of the mystery of Borgus Weems…but is the curse over?  Phantom of What Opera?—The Phantom (Leslie Nielsen) kidnaps a woman but uncovers her secret.

“Death in the Family”

“The Merciful”

“The Class of ’99”

“Satisfaction Guaranteed”

2.2       Death in the Family/The Merciful/Class of ’99/Satisfaction Guaranteed Airdate:  09/22/71

Death in the Family—A caretaker at a funeral home named Jared Soames (E.G. Marshall) finds an intruder (Desi Arnaz Jr.) shot and hiding from the police.  When the intruder discovers that the caretaker has his own secrets, he learns that he might become part of his own strange family.  The Merciful—A woman (Imogene Coca) decides to help her husband (King Donovan) and end his suffering.  Class of ’99—The class of ’99 has a hard road ahead of them and their teacher (Vincent Price) plans to teach them about life…and death!  Satisfaction Guaranteed—A picky client (Victor Buono) goes to an employment agency for his number one choice.

“Since Aunt Ada Came to Stay”

“With Apologies to Mr. Hyde”

“The Flip Side of Satan”

2.3       Since Aunt Ada Came to Stay/With Apologies to Mr. Hyde/The Flip Side of Satan Airdate:  09/29/71

Since Aunt Ada Came to Stay— Craig Lowell (James Farentino) and his wife Joanna (Michele Lee) have become host her elderly Aunt Ada (Jeanette Nolan).  When Craig learns from a colleague (Jonathan Harris) that he suspects witchcraft, Craig discovers Aunt Ada may not be who she says and that she has plans for Craig and Joanna.  With Apologizes to Mr. Hyde—Hyde (Adam West) finds his assistant’s up to a new brew.  The Flip Side of Satan—DJ sensation J.J. Wilson (Arte Johnson) gets a job as an overnight DJ at a strange station.

“Fear of Spiders”

“Junior”

“Marmalade Wine”

“The Academy”

2.4       A Fear of Spiders/Junior/Marmalade Wine/The Academy Airdate:  10/06/71

A Fear of Spiders—A writer named Justus Walters (Patrick O’Neal) finds himself stalked by his upstairs neighbor Elizabeth (Kim Stanley).  When increasingly larger spiders begin appearing in his house, Justus is forced to turn to Elizabeth for help.  Junior—A late night thirst has a father (Wally Cox) getting a drink for his special son.  Marmalade Wine—A photographer named Roger Blacker (Robert Morse) is caught in a thunderstorm meets a famous doctor named Francis Deeking (Rudy Vallee) and reveals to him that he can see the future.  Roger reveals he’s lying to Deekings but finds he might be too late.  The Academy—Holston (Pat Boone) checks out a new academy with the director (Leif Erickson) as a potential for his troubled son.  As Holston explores the academy, he learns that kids check in but they might not check out.

“The Phantom Farmhouse”

“Silent Snow, Secret Snow”

2.5       The Phantom Farmhouse/Silent Snow, Secret Snow Airdate:  10/20/71

The Phantom Farmhouse—An experimental psychiatrist named Dr. Joel Winter (David McCallum) finds his patient Gideon (David Carradine) speaks of a strange house in the woods and a woman named Mildred (Linda Marsh).  When Winter finds that the home is real, he begins to investigate Mildred himself and the rumors of werewolves.  Silent Snow, Secret Snow—A young boy named Paul (Radames Pera) finds himself retreating into a world of silent snow as his parents try to save him.  Narrated by Orson Wells.

“A Question of Fear”

“The Devil Is Not Mocked”

2.6       A Question of Fear/The Devil Is Not Mocked Airdate:  10/27/71

A Question of Fear—A man named Dr. Mazi (Fritz Weaver) tells his story of a haunted house and is called a coward by war veteran Colonel Dennis Malloy (Leslie Nielsen).  Challenged by Mazi and his friends, Malloy is bet $15,000 to spend a night in the house, but Mazi might have other motives.  The Devil Is Not Mocked—General von Grunn (Helmut Dantine) is sent by his Nazi leaders to unearth a hidden resistance in a small town.  Welcomed in, Grunn discovers Dracula (Francis Lederer) might really be leading the resistance.

“Midnight Never Ends”

“Brenda”

2.7       Midnight Never Ends/Brenda Airdate:  11/03/71

Midnight Never Ends—A woman named Ruth Asquith (Susan Strasberg) picks up a soldier hitchhiker named Richard Alden (Glenn Corbett) and discover that they’ve experienced the events before.  As the night unfolds as they recall, they wonder if there is a way to stop the repeating evening.  Brenda—A loner girl named Brenda Alden (Laurie Prange) finds  a strange monster on the small island where she and her family are staying.  Forming a strange bond, Laurie and the creature find that others do not understand them.

“The Diary”

“A Matter of Semantics”

“Big Surprise”

“Professor Peabody’s Last Lecture”

2.8       The Diary/A Matter of Semantics/Big Surprise/Professor Peabody’s Last Lecture Airdate:  11/10/71

The Diary—Holly Schaeffer (Patty Duke) is a gossip columnist is given a diary by one of her victims, a socialite named Carrie Crane (Virginia Mayo).  When Holly discovers diary can reveal the future, Holly wonders if she can stop the events of the diary from happening.  A Matter of Semantics—Count Dracula (Cesar Romero) stops by the blood bank but learns that the bank is only good for deposits, not withdraws.  Big Surprise—Mr. Hawkins (John Carradine) tells Chris (Vincent Van Patten) the location of a secret buried treasure.  Professor Peabody’s Last Lecture—Professor Peabody (Carl Reiner) gives a lecture on the demon gods and accidentally summons them.

“House–With a Ghost”

“A Midnight Visit to a Neighborhood Blood Bank”

“Dr Stringfellows Rejuvinator”

“Hell’s Bells”

2.9       House—With Ghost/A Midnight Visit to the Neighborhood Blood Bank/Dr. Stringfellow’s Rejuvenator/Hell’s Bells Airdate:  11/17/71

House—With A Ghost—Ellis Travers (Bob Crane) and Iris Travers (Jo Anne Worley) rent a house with a ghost (Bernard Fox).  As Ellis contemplates leaving his wife for his mistress, the ghost may take an active role in the affair.  A Midnight Visit to the Neighborhood Blood Bank—A vampire hoping to drain a victim runs into a problem.  Dr. Stringfellow’s Rejuvenator—A snake oil salesman named Dr. Ernest Stringfellow (Forrest Tucker) is challenged by a former victim (Murray Hamilton) and vows to bring a girl back from the dead.   Hell’s Bells—A man named Randy Miller (John Astin) finds himself in Hell’s waiting room and wonders if Hell is as bad as he’s heard.

“The Dark Boy”

“Keep in Touch–We’ll Think of Something”

2.10     The Dark Boy/Keep in Touch—We’ll Think of Something Airdate:  11/24/71

The Dark Boy—Judith Timm (Elizabeth Hartman) comes to town to teach and begins seeing a small dark-haired boy that isn’t in the school ledger.  Discovering the boy always comes at night, Judith uncovers that the boy is looking for something he can’t find.  Keep in Touch—We’ll Think of Something—A man named Erik Sutton (Alex Cord) goes to the police claiming a woman has stolen his car.  When the police locate a woman named Claire Foster (Joanna Pettet), Erik admits that he knows her from his dreams…but Claire has dreams of her own.

“Pickman’s Model”

“The Dear Departed”

“An Act of Chivalry”

2.11     Pickman’s Model/The Dear Departed/An Act of Chivalry Airdate:  12/01/71

Pickman’s Model—A man discovers a painting of the legendary Richard Upton Pickman (Bradford Dillman), and wonders if he discovered his lost studio.  Pickman’s last years are recalled and the strange fantastical creatures that Pickman painted…but are they just his imagination?  The Dear Departed—A couple of psychic con men rob their victims.  Mark Bennett (Steve Lawrence) and Angela Casey (Maureen Arthur) are having an affair behind the back of Joe Casey (Harvey Lembeck) and worries that Joe will discover them.  When Joe is killed in an accident, Mark and Angela find Mark’s psychic abilities might be genuine.  An Act of Chivalry—Even in an elevator, Death must follow the rules.

“Cool Air”

“Camera Obscura”

“Quoth the Raven”

2.12     Cool Air/Camera Obscura/Quoth the Raven Airdate:  12/08/71

Cool Air—Agatha Howard (Barbara Rush) falls in love with a reclusive scientist named Dr. Juan Munos (Henry Darrow) who keeps himself in a refrigerated room.  When a storm strikes and the power goes out, Agatha learns the secrets of Juan’s experiments.  Camera Obscura—William Sharsted (Rene Auberjonois) wants the money he’s loaned Gingold (Ross Martin).  When Sharsted is shown Gingold’s special camera obscura, he finds himself trapped in his own past with no escape.  Quoth the Raven—It is a dark and stormy night, and Edgar Allen Poe is working on one of his greatest works.

“The Messiah on Mott Street”

“The Painted Mirror”

2.13     The Messiah on Mott Street/The Painted Mirror Airdate:  12/15/71

The Messiah on Mott Street—Abraham Goldman (Edward G. Robinson) is dying but still trying to raise his grandson Mikey (Ricky Powell).  When Mickey learns about the Messiah, he sets out to find him to save his grandfather.  When Mikey and Goldman’s doctor (Tony Roberts) are faced with a man that Mikey says is the Messiah (Yaphet Kotto), miracles could happen.  The Painted Mirror—A junkman named Frank Standish (Arthur O’Connell) gets a painted mirror from a client against the objection of his partner Mrs. Moore (Zsa Zsa Gabor).  When Frank uncovers a world behind the paint, a chance to be free of Mrs. Moore is possible.

“The Different Ones”

“Tell David…”

“Logoda’s Heads”

2.14     The Different Ones/Tell David…/Logoda’s Heads Airdate:  12/29/71

The Different Ones—Paul Koch (Dana Andrews) has a son born with a deformity in a society where everyone is perfect.  Seeking help for Victor, an exchange is planned for another planet willing to take Victor.  Tell David…—A jealous wife named Ann Bolt (Sandra Dee) gets lost on a stormy night.  She discovers herself in the future at the home of her child (Jared Martin) and learns disturbing information about her future.  Logoda’s Heads—Major Crosby (Patrick Macnee) leads an expedition in search of a missing explorer and finds a witch doctor named Logoda (Brock Peters) might know the truth.

“Green Fingers”

“The Funeral”

“The Tune in Dan’s Cafe”

2.15     Green Fingers/The Funeral/The Tune in Dan’s Café Airdate:  01/05/72

Green Fingers—A greedy land developer named Michael J. Saunders (Cameron Mitchell) has met his match in a garden loving widow named Lydia Bowen (Elsa Lanchester).  The Funeral—Funeral director Morton Silkline (Joe Flynn) is faced with an odd request from a vampire client named Ludwig Asper (Werner Klemperer) and finds himself giving one of the strangest funerals ever.  The Tune in Dan’s Café—A married couple (Susan Oliver and Pernell Roberts) on the verge of divorce find themselves at a strange café with a jukebox that only plays one song and hear a tale of lost love.

“Lindermann’s Catch”

“The Late Mr. Peddington”

“A Feast of Blood”

2.16     Lindemann’s Catch/The Late Mr. Peddington/A Feast of Blood Airdate:  01/12/72

Lindemann’s Catch—A mermaid (Annabelle Garth) is captured by a group of fishermen, and Lindemann (Stuart Whitman) debates what to do with the mermaid as he falls in love with her.  The Late Mr. Peddington—Mrs. Peddington (Kim Hunter) searches for a cheap funeral for her husband and finds hope in the funeral home of Thaddeus Conway (Harry Morgan) and his assistant John (Randy Quaid).  A Feast of Blood—Sheila Gray (Sondra Locke) finds herself courted by Henry Mallory (Norman Lloyd) while being in love with another man.  When Henry gives her an unusual pin and makes a demand for a commitment, Sheila learns denying him might not be wise.

“The Miracle at Camafeo”

“The Ghost of Sorworth Place”

2.17     The Miracle at Camafeo/The Ghost of Sorworth Place Airdate:  01/19/72

The Miracle at Camafeo—A con man (Ray Danton) trying to cover up his insurance fraud goes to a miracle site to “regain” his ability to walk with his wife (Julie Adams).  As an investigator Charlie Rogan (Harry Guardino) closes in, miracles might come with a cost.  The Ghost of Sorworth Place—A lost backpacker named Ralph Burke (Richard Kiley) comes upon the home of Ann Loring (Jill Ireland).  When he learns her tale of an abusive husband who died at her hands, Ralph agrees to help her escape the ghosts of her past.

“The Waiting Room”

“Last Rites for a Dead Druid”

2.18     The Waiting Room/Last Rites for a Dead Druid Airdate:  01/26/72

The Waiting Room—A gunman named Sam Dichter (Steve Forrest) finds himself in a strange saloon with a group of gamblers (Jim Davis, Buddy Ebsen, Albert Salmi, Lex Barker) and a bartender (Gilbert Roland).  As Dichter finds the gamblers leaving one-by-one, he comes to the realization that he’s not in a normal bar.  Last Rites for a Dead Druid—A woman named Jenny Tarraday (Carol Lynley) and her friend Mildred McVane (Donna Douglas) purchase a statue that resembles her husband Bruce (Bill Bixby).  Bruce finds himself being controlled more and more by the strange druid statue which seems to haunt him in his dreams and compels him to kill his wife.

“Deliveries in the Rear”

“Stop Killing Me”

“Dead Weight”

2.19     Deliveries in the Rear/Stop Killing Me/Dead Weight Airdate:  02/09/72

Deliveries in the Rear—Dr. John Fletcher (Cornel Wilde) is a surgeon dealing in bodies for his students.  When Fletcher’s practice of buying corpses from graverobbers catches up to him, an emergency rush for a female body to cover his tracks has deadly results.  Stop Killing Me—Mrs. Frances Turchin (Geraldine Page) goes to the police and tells them that her husband is killing her.  Dead Weight—Landau (Bobby Darin) goes to Bullivant (Jack Albertson) to get him out of the country at any cost…but he doesn’t specify how.

“I’ll Never Leave You–Ever”

“There Aren’t Any More MacBanes”

2.20     I’ll Never Leave You—Ever/There Aren’t Any More MacBanes Airdate:  02/16/72

I’ll Never Leave You—A woman named Moragh (Lois Nettleton) awaits her sick husband Owen (Royal Dano) to die to be with her lover Ianto (John Saxon) and goes to a practitioner of black magic for help.  There Aren’t Any More MacBanes—Andrew MacBane (Joel Grey) is threatened to be cut off by his uncle Arthur Porter (Howard Duff).  Summoning a demon, MacBane accidentally risks the lives of his friends (Elie (Darrell Larson) and Mickey (Barry Higgins).  Guest-appearance by Mark Hamill as the messenger boy Francis.

“The Sins of the Father”

“You Can’t Get Help like that Anymore”

2.21     The Sins of the Fathers/You Can’t Get Help Like That Anymore Airdate:  02/23/72

The Sins of the Fathers—A famine is plaguing Wales, and Ian Evans (Richard Thomas) and his mother (Geraldine Page) need food.  As the son of a sin-eater, Ian must go to the home of a widow (Barbara Steel) to get the food they need.  You Can’t Get Help Like That Anymore—Robots are now the servants of the future and Mr. and Mrs. Fulton (Broderick Crawford and Cloris Leachman) are the worst owners.  After breaking down another maid, the Fultons learn that their new model (Lana Wood) might be more then they expected.

“The Caterpillar”

“Little Girl Lost”

2.22     The Caterpillar/Little Girl Lost Airdate:  03/01/72

The Caterpillar—Steven Macy (Laurence Harvey) wants the wife (Joanna Pettet) of his boss John Warwick (Tom Helmore).  Plotting Warwick’s murder, the man plans to use an earwig to kill him…but his plan backfires.  Little Girl Lost—A genius scientist named Professor Putman (William Windom) has lost his daughter but lives under the delusion that she is still alive.  Needing Putnam to continue with his work, Tom Burke (Ed Nelson) goes along with story to get the work finished.  If Putman finds out about the ruse, what will a madman do?

Related Links:

Night Gallery—Season 1 Review and Complete Episode Guide

Night Gallery—Season 3 Review and Complete Episode Guide